1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a communication assembly comprising a plug connector and a jack assembly provided to be connected.
2. Description of Related Art
Communication connectors that are configured to suppress or to compensate for crosstalk that originates from within a connector, are generally known. Crosstalk arises when signals conducted over a first path, e.g. a pair of contact wires in a communication plug connector, are partly coupled electromagnetically into a second signal path (e.g. another pair of contact wires) within the same connector. The signals coupled from the first path may be detected as “crosstalk” in the second path, and such crosstalk degrades existing signals that are being routed over the second path.
Crosstalk compensation circuitry may be provided on layers of a printed wire board to which the contact wires of a communication jack are connected.
The patent document U.S. Pat. No. 6,464,541 describes a communication jack assembly, comprising a first printed wiring board having associated capacitance elements with corresponding capacitance contact pads, a second printed wiring board and at least a first and a second pair of contact wires.
Each of the contact wires has a base supported on the second board, a free end, and an intermediate portion extending between the base and the free end, and the intermediate portion has an ice for establishing an electrical connection with a corresponding terminal of a mating plug connector.
The capacitance contact pads on the first printed wiring board are aligned beneath corresponding free ends of the contact wires so that the free ends establish electrical contact with the pads when the contact wires are engaged by the plug connector. The capacitance elements of the first board form part of a first crosstalk compensation stage for providing a first level of capacitive compensation coupling corresponding in magnitude to a sum of offending capacitive crosstalk and offending inductive crosstalk to be introduced to the jack assembly by the mating plug connector.
The second board has capacitance and inductance elements for forming part of a second crosstalk compensation stage for providing both (a) a level of inductive compensation coupling, though trace layout of conductive traces on said second board which communicate with at least one of said first and second pairs of contact wires, that corresponds in magnitude to the offending inductive crosstalk generated from the plug connector, and (b) a second level of capacitive coupling that corresponds in magnitude and has a polarity opposite to that of the level of inductive compensation coupling.
Near end crosstalk (NEXT) and far end crosstalk (FEXT) that would otherwise be produced when the jack assembly is engaged by the mating plug connector, are compensated by the compensation crosstalk provided by the first and the second crosstalk compensation stages in the jack assembly.